Lavrangas, Dionyssios

Lavrangas, Dionyssios, Greek conductor, composer, and pedagogue; b. Argostólion, Oct. 17, I860?; d. Razata, Cephalonia, July 18, 1941. After studies with N. Serao (violin) and Olivieri and Metaxas-Tzanis (harmony) in Argostólion, he went to Naples to pursue his training with Scarano (harmony and counterpoint) and Ross (piano); he also was a student at the Cons, of San Pietro a Majella there of Rossi and P. Serao (composition). He then went to Paris and had lessons with Dubois (harmony), Anthiome (piano), and Franck (organ); he also took courses at the Cons, there with Delibes and Massenet. After working as a touring opera conductor, he settled in Athens as conductor of the Phil. Soc. (1894–96); he then was founder-conductor of the Elliniko Melodhrama (Greek Opera; 1900-1935). He also was active as a teacher, and served as director of the opera school of the Hellenic Cons. (1919–24). Lavrangas was an important figure in the development of the Ionian school of composition. His works are reflective of French and Italian models.

Works

dramatic: Opera: Elda di Vorn (c. 1886; Naples, e. 1890); La vita è un sogno (1887; Act 4 rev. as Mayissa [The Sorceress], Athens, Oct. 8, 1901); Galatea (c. 1887); Ta dyo adelfia (The 2 Brothers; Athens, April 24, 1900); O lytrotis (The Redeemer; 1900-1903; Corfu, Feb. 24, 1934); Dido (1906-09; Athens, April 10, 1909); Mavri petaloudha (Black Butterfly; Athens, Jan. 25, 1929); Aida (c. 1928); Ikaros (c. 1930); Ena paramythi, comic opera (1930); Fakanapas, comic opera (1935; Athens, Dec. 2, 1950); Frosso (1938). operetta:I aspri tricha (The White Hair; Athens, March 22, 1917); Sporting Club (Athens, Aug. 4, 1917); Dhipli Fotia (Double Flame; Athens, Jan. 10, 1918); Satore (n.d.); O Tragoudistis tou Kazinou (The Casino Singer; Athens, July 7, 1934; in collaboration with others).other: Ballets; orch. works; piano pieces; choral music; songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire